Spring activated wheel assembly for in-line walking shoes

ABSTRACT

A new inline skate wheel assembly for permitting conversion from walking shoe to in-line skates through a spring release mechanism. The inventive device includes a locking clip with arms that are inserted into the spring loaded locking mechanism upon which the wheel yoke and axle are attached. When the arms of the male component locking clip are disengaged from the female component notches in the spring loaded locking mechanism, the wheel assembly may either be manually retracted into the cavity located in the sole of the boot or extended by the touch of a button in an instantaneous snap action due to the spring loaded locking mechanism.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to inline skates, which can be converted into walking shoes and more particularly pertains to a new inline skate wheel assembly for permitting quick and easy deployment of the wheels during conversion from shoes to skates.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

[0002] The use of inline skates is known in the prior art. More specifically, inline skates heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements. Known prior art inline skates include U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,595,392; 5,193,827; 4,932,675; U.S. Pat. Des. 335,576.

[0003] While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new inline skate assembly. The inventive device includes a boot portion and a truck portion. The boot portion has a sole, and heel and toe ends. The truck portion has a top, first and second ends, a pair of sides, and a plurality of ground engaging wheels rotatably mounted thereto. The sole of the boot portion has an elongate channel therein. The length of the channel is extended between the heel and toe ends of the boot portion. The top of the truck portion is slidably insertable into the channel of the sole of the boot portion to attach the truck portion to the base portion.

[0004] In these respects, the inline skate assembly according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of permitting the wearer to convert the skates into shoes by storing the wheels in the sole of the boot.

[0005] Convertible shoes capable of converting from walking shoes into in-line skates are known in the art. One type of known convertible shoe comprises a shoe component, or upper, attached at its underside to a wheel mechanism, and to a sole. The wheel mechanism comprises wheels rotatably connected to an undercarriage, the undercarriage being connected to the underside of the upper. The wheel mechanism can be extended to allow a wearer to skate on a skating surface, or retracted to allow a wearer to walk. When extended, the wheel mechanism can provide clearance between the sole and the skating surface, and can support the upper some distance above the skating surface allowing the upper and sole to ride on the wheels or rollers. When retracted, the wheel mechanism provides no clearance between the upper and sole and the ground or skating surface and can be enclosed by the sole. The sole contains cavities that provide a storage enclosure for the retracted wheel mechanism.

[0006] There are inconveniences and problems associated with this type of known convertible shoes. Wheel diameter is limited to about 1 inch or less because the wheels must fit in the enclosing space provided by the sole. When the wheel mechanism is retracted, the wheels remain roughly perpendicular to the underside of the upper, so that their rolling axes are parallel to the upper's underside. Therefore, wheel diameter can generally be no greater than the thickness of the enclosing sole. The smaller the wheels' diameter, the greater the number of revolutions a wheel must make to travel a given distance, and the greater a wheel's wear. Small wheels are also generally less able to negotiate bumps and undulations in the skating surface. Further, small wheels can limit the clearance between the upper or sole and the skating surface, making skating more hazardous and preventing more aggressive skating. Examples of this type of convertible shoe are taught in U.S. Pat. No. 3,983,643 to Schreyer, U.S. Pat. No. 4,333,249 to Schaefer, U.S. Pat. No. 5,797,609 to Fichepain, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,785,327 to Gallant.

[0007] Another type of known convertible shoe is similar to the convertible shoe just described except that the sole is detachable. In this type of convertible shoes, the sole is generally attached to the upper when the wheel mechanism is retracted, thus covering and enclosing the retracted wheel mechanism, and allowing a wearer to walk in the convertible shoes. When the wheel mechanism is to be extended, the sole is removed and either must be set aside or carried separately by the wearer. In addition to the problems arising from small wheel diameters, having to remove and set aside, or carry, the sole is inconvenient for the wearer. An example of this type of convertible shoes is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,979,842 to Texidor.

[0008] Still another type of known convertible shoes provides wheel mechanisms wherein the wheels are mounted at the sides of the sole and protrude therefrom. When used for skating, the wheels may be lowered, or extended downwards, to contact the skating surface and provide clearance between the sole of the shoe and the ground. When used for walking the wheels are raised by the sides of the shoe allowing the sole to contact the ground. An example of this is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,398,970 to Tucky. In an alternative design, the wheels are attachable to axles embedded in the sole. The wheels are attached to the axles when the shoe is to be used for skating and protrude from the sides of the sole. When used for walking, the wheels are removed. An example of this design is found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,511,824 to Kim. This type of convertible is not suitable for in-line skates because the wheels must be mounted on both sides of the sole. The Kim convertible shoe is also inconvenient because the wheels are not integrated with the shoe, and they must be set aside or carried when the user is skating.

[0009] Known convertible shoe wheels that are integral with and fixed to the convertible shoe can be subject to uneven wheel wear. The wheels' orientation is generally fixed in a plane parallel to the direction of in-line skate travel, and the orientation cannot easily be reversed or rotated through 180 degrees. With prolonged skating, wheel wear can be uneven if, for example, the wearer's feet tilt inwards or outwards while skating. Unevenly worn wheels are undesirable because they are difficult to skate with.

[0010] Perhaps the most close in likeness to the present invention is U.S. Pat. No. 6,120,039 to Clementi, which is still another type of convertible shoe capable of reversibly converting from a walking shoe to an in-line skate by extending a wheel mechanism located in the shoe's sole. Though Clementi shares many of the same advantages as the present invention, its disadvantage lies in the wheel mechanism, which is difficult to deploy and easily damaged due to its location with respect to the boot. As is commonly known, after a short period of wear on roller skates, the undersides of them are covered by the dirt, gravel and other lose material that may be on the ground on which the skate rolls over while in use. As the front wheel spins against the ground, the friction between the ground and the wheel induces substantial amounts of dirt to be kicked up. Such a build up of material on the underside of the skate will cause the wheel release mechanism on Clementi's in-line skate shoe to malfunction before the rest of the boot undergoes any wear and tear. Since the Clementi shoe's wheel release mechanism is located in the cavity underneath the shoe very close to the wheels themselves, even more build up of dirt and substances will occur when the wheels are in retracted position and the user is walking through gravel, mud, grass, etc. Furthermore, it is inconvenient for the user to have to reach underneath the soles of the boot in order to release the wheels as the hands will become dirty from fumbling around in the cavity where the mechanism is located.

[0011] The present invention eliminates these disadvantages while retaining all of the advantages of the prior art. In these respects, the inline skate wheel assembly according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of facilitating one touch release of the wheels from the sole of the boot and easy retraction thereof.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0012] In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known type of inline skate wheel assembly now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new inline skate wheel assembly construction wherein the same can be utilized for permitting quick and convenient spring release of the wheels as well as easy retraction without the need for getting the hands dirty in the process.

[0013] The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new inline skate wheel assembly, which has many of the advantages of the inline skates mentioned theretofore and many novel features that result in a new inline skate wheel assembly which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art inline skates, either alone or in any combination thereof. To attain this, the present invention generally comprises a boot portion and an instantly deployable wheel mechanism located inside the boot. The boot portion has a sole, and heel and toe ends. The present invention relates to a convertible shoe capable of reversibly converting from a walking shoe to an in-line skate by pressing a control button which controls a brake member to release the wheel mechanism located in the shoe's sole. The convertible shoe comprises an upper, a sole connected to the underside of the upper, and an extendable and retractable wheel mechanism connected to the underside of the upper. The sole has storage cavities capable of enclosing and storing the retracted wheel mechanism. In one embodiment the wheel mechanism comprises at least two wheels rotatably mounted on one or more undercarriages that permit wheels connected thereto to be extended by swiveling about and axis perpendicular to the wheels' rolling axis. Swiveling can be achieved by mounting each wheel on an undercarriage via, for example a swivel hinge mounting. There are several possible undercarriage configurations. For example, each wheel can be mounted on a separate undercarriage, which undercarriage extendibly connected to the underside of the upper. When the wheel mechanism is extended the swivel-hinge mounting can be locked in a position such that its wheel is held parallel to the direction of skating motion and about perpendicular to the sole. In another embodiment of the present invention, the wheel mechanism can comprise at least two removable undercarriages having rotatable wheels. Each undercarriage can be mounted onto the convertible shoes so that the undercarriage and the wheel connected thereto can be held in at least two different orientations. For example, the undercarriage can be mounted in an extended orientation with its wheel parallel to the skating direction and about perpendicular to the sole of the shoe, or the undercarriage can be mounted in a retracted orientation with its wheel about parallel to the sole of the convertible shoe. To change the wheel orientation the undercarriage can be dismounted from the bushing then remounted with wheels in a different orientation.

[0014] One advantage of the convertible shoe with the spring release wheels of the present invention is that the she is integrally constructed so that no accessories need to be attached or removed from the convertible shoe in converting the shoe from a walking shoe to an in-line shoe. Another advantage of the present invention is that the wheels do not needed to be folded twice as in Clementi's shoe. Furthermore, the present invention allows the wheels to be thick to ensure a stable ride, even allowing a plurality of small thick wheels so that a larger portion of the sole is supported by wheels.

[0015] These together with other objects of the invention are pointed out clearly in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the present invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its use, references should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.

BRIEF DECRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] For a better understanding of the nature of the present invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

[0017]FIG. 1 is a side partial sectional view of the present invention with the wheel mechanism extended;

[0018]FIG. 2 is a front sectional view of the spring release wheel mechanism;

[0019]FIG. 3 is a back sectional view of the spring release wheel mechanism.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0020] The preferred embodiment of the present invention is a convertible shoe having a spring loaded retractable and extendable wheel mechanism, wherein the convertible shoe is useable as a in-line skate when the wheel mechanism is extended, as shown in FIG. 1, and is useable as a walking shoe when the wheel mechanism is retracted. The convertible shoe comprises an upper 11 and a sole 12 attached to the underside of the upper 11 to form an upper/sole assembly. The upper/sole assembly can further comprise an insole 13, a plate 14 located under the insole 13 and a heel pad located under the posterior of the plate 14, attached to the underside of the upper 11 and above the sole 12.

[0021] The upper 11 is capable of receiving a user's or wearer's foot and can be made of materials including but not limited to leather, fiber, and synthetic materials. The insole 13 cushions a wearer's foot, and can be made of, for example, a resilient synthetic material. The plate 14 can be made of, for example, non-corrosive metal or rigid synthetic material capable of providing structural support for the wheel mechanism. The heel pad 15 acts as a spacer, and provides support for the wearer's heel at the posterior end of plate 13. The sole 12, is located below plate 11 and is connected to the underside of upper 11. The sole 12 can be made of, for example, rubber or synthetic material, or other material known in the art to be a suitable material for a sole for this type of footwear. The sole 12 is capable of storing and enclosing the retracted wheel mechanism in cavities 16 and 17. The wheel mechanism is connected to the underside of plate 13, and comprises one or more swivel hinge assemblies. In the preferred embodiment, the plate 13 is connected to anterior and posterior swivel hinge assembly. Each swivel hinge assembly includes a base housing 20, a swivel wheel yoke 21, and a pair of wheel 22. The swivel hinge assembly can be connected to the plate 14 by, for example, bolts 24, that pass through pre-drilled or formed holes in plate 13 and are screwed into the base housing 20.

[0022] Referring to FIG. 1 through FIG. 3, the pair of wheels 22 can be of materials such as, for example, molded rubber, metal, or synthetic material. The cumulative thickness of the pair of wheels 22 including the space between the two wheels preferably has a width greater than 1 inch, which increases the stability of the ride and allows safer skating. The wheels 22 are rotatably mounted on axle 25 via wheel bearings 26 that support the pair of wheels 22 on the axle 25. With the wheels 22 and the bearings 26 mounted, the axle 25 can be connected to a wheel yoke 27 having side members 27A by, for example, screws 28 that run through a hole 27B in each side member 27A of the yoke 27 and into the ends of the axle 25.

[0023] Referring to FIG. 2, the sole 12 includes anterior and posterior cavities 16 and 17, posterior and anterior lock release buttons 39 located on the boot exterior, and a lower plane that defines a walking surface 18. These cavities extend from the walking surface of the sole 18 to the plate 13. Anterior assembly cavity 16 and posterior assembly cavity 17 house or store the anterior and posterior swivel hinge assemblies, respectively.

[0024] Lock release buttons 39, which may be located anywhere on the boot's exterior may be pushed in order to release the spring loaded wheel axle 25 and yoke 27. Button 39 is connected to locking nut 37, which is joined to push rod 38, which passes through the retention mechanism 36 and swivel yoke 21. On the other side of the yoke, push rod 38 is connected to locking clip 41, which is fastened to the push rod by another locking nut 37A. Locking clip 41 is circularly flat piece of metal with a cut out center circle resembling a washer and has two arms, located opposite to each other, extending out from the outer edge of the circle. The arms 43 extend a few millimeters from the edge of the circle at which point they curve at a 90 degree angle perpendicular to the flatly disposed circular surface. The curved portion of the arms 43 are able to fit securely and snugly into the locking mechanism in order to prevent the wheel assembly from moving when it is either completely retracted or fully extended. When force 29 is applied to push button 39, the entirely connected rod assembly is pushed in the direction of the force. Moving in a lateral motion parallel to the sole of the boot maintained by the wheel axle 25. Retention mechanism 36, which is integrally joined with yoke 21, has two square notches cut into the side which makes direct contact with locking clip 41. The square notches 42 is just large enough for the folded arms 43 of locking clip 11 to be inserted into it. Spring loaded wheel yoke and wheel axle connected thereto is retained in the retracted position inside the cavities of the sole by the insertion of arms 43 into notches 42. When the wearer pushes button 39, the connected rod induces locking clip to move away from the locking mechanism thereby disengaging the bent arms 43 from its inserted position in notches 42 and resulting in the locking mechanisms snapping into the extended position due to the spring loaded nature of the wheel assembly. In order to retract the wheels, the wearer must push the button 39 in order to disengage the insertion of the locking clip once more while manually rotating the wheel yoke by rotating into the cavity in the sole until the arms 43 are in position to be inserted into the notches 42 thereby keeping the wheels fixed in the closed position.

[0025] While particular embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described herein, the present invention is not limited to such illustrations and descriptions. It is apparent that changes and modifications may be incorporated and embodied as part of the present invention within the scope of the following claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A spring release wheel swivel hinge assembly for a convertible shoe comprising: An upper having an underside; and A sole coupled to the underside of the upper, the sole having a lower plane, and having storage cavities formed therein; and An extendable and retractable wheel mechanism operatively coupled to the underside of the upper, and comprising at least of a wheel positionable to be about perpendicular to the lower plane of the sole when the wheel mechanism is in its extended position and same when it is in its retracted position; and Means for locking swivel wheel assembly into an extended position and into a retracted position; A spring loaded locking mechanism with means for deploying such mechanism and releasing the wheel assembly with a single touch; and Means for retracting said swivel wheel assembly by disengaging said locking system.
 2. A spring release wheel swivel hinge assembly for convertible inline skates, according to claim 1, wherein said means for deploying is a device including but not limited to a button, key, and pulley, wherein such said device is located on the exterior of the boot including but not limited to the sides of the sole portion, the toe, and the heel. 